Music Video Bargain!

Fred Seibert, one of the pioneers of MTV, created a new network on the web devoted to music videos made in a day for $99 or less. In other words, a music video equivalent to a value meal. This is the theme of the lates "network" from web-production studio Next New Networks. 

Now signed and unsigned bands have the opportunity to create a video and have it distributed and promoted by Next New Network and its website 99dollarmusicvideos.com. 

This may sound like what thousands of bands are already doing, but the difference is, Next New Networks is giving the videos a marketing push to separate them from the clutter of Youtube and MySpace. 

Verizon FiOS  sponsors the series. 

Next New Network gets a 3 month exclusive window to distribute the video and then shares distribution rights with the band or the band's label (ultimately the owners of the video). 

Every week the company will produce one video in collaboration with a different band, as well as a "making of" video with behind the scenes action and Verizon brand integration.

I think that this is a very interesting concept. I know tons of bands looking for cost effective ways of getting their music made. If the quality of these videos and the marketing strategy work, Next New Network may be able to compensate their low price of production with an influx of customers. I'd be interested in learning more about their business plan. I'm sure the Verizon brand integration is covering a lot of their costs. I think this will only work if the idea takes off quickly....otherwise they'll be in the poor house and fast....

Then again, if this does take off, what will become of traditional music production houses? Will this lead to an overall drop in music production costs?